Surgical soft tissue suturing device

Abstract

According to one aspect, a surgical suturing device (10) is proposed for closing an incision or two layers of a target soft tissue (70). The suturing device (10) comprises: a shuttle driving mechanism (14) for driving a shuttle (36) of a suture holder assembly (30); a soft tissue window (22) for receiving at least a portion of the target tissue (70); an ejection window (23) sized and shaped to allow a suture holder assembly (30) to be ejected out of the suturing device (10) through the ejection window (23); and a chamber (26) for receiving a set of suture holder assemblies (30). The suturing device can be used to create suture loops through the target tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical suturing device for closing an incision or two layers of a target soft tissue, the suturing device comprising:
 a shuttle driving mechanism for driving a shuttle of a suture holder assembly; and   a chamber for receiving a set of suture holder assemblies,   the suturing device defining:   a soft tissue window for receiving at least a portion of the target tissue; and   an ejection window sized and shaped to allow a suture holder assembly to be ejected out of the suturing device through the ejection window,   wherein the suturing device defines at least an engaging state, and a transferring state, and wherein in the engaging state, the shuttle driving mechanism is in a first retracted position while being configured to be engaged with the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly in the chamber, and in the transferring state, the shuttle driving mechanism is in a first advanced position such that at least a portion of the shuttle driving mechanism spans at least partially across the soft tissue window while being configured to be engaged with the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suturing device further defines a start state, in which the shuttle driving mechanism is in a second, different retracted position configured to be disengaged from the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suturing device further defines a tensioning position, wherein the shuttle driving mechanism is in a second advanced state such that at least a portion of the shuttle driving mechanism spans across the soft tissue window, and the shuttle driving mechanism is configured to be engaged with the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly to allow a respective suture strand of the respective suture holder assembly to form a substantially slack-free loop around the target tissue in the soft tissue window. 
     
     
         4 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suturing device comprises a feed mechanism in the chamber configured to feed the set of suture holder assemblies towards the ejection window, wherein the feed mechanism comprises a first biasing element, and wherein the first biasing element is configured as a first spring. 
     
     
         5 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the shuttle driving mechanism comprises a needle. 
     
     
         6 . The suturing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the needle is curved and has a substantially constant radius. 
     
     
         7 . The suturing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the needle comprises a shuttle engaging tip with a first cross-sectional diameter and a main body portion with a second cross-sectional diameter, wherein the second diameter is greater than the first diameter, and wherein the shuttle engaging tip is sized and shaped to be received in a shuttle channel in the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The suturing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the shuttle comprises a driving end configured as a protrusion, wherein a shuttle driver of the shuttle driving mechanism comprises a shuttle driver channel, which is sized and shaped to receive the protrusion. 
     
     
         9 . The suturing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the shuttle driving mechanism comprises an arm coupled to the needle, and wherein the arm is arranged to rotate about a first axis. 
     
     
         10 . The suturing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the arm comprises a first tooth section, and wherein the first tooth section is configured as a first cogwheel section. 
     
     
         11 . The suturing device according to  claim 5 , wherein the suturing device comprises a groove or device channel, and wherein the needle is received in the groove or device channel. 
     
     
         12 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the suturing device comprises an activation mechanism coupled to the shuttle driving mechanism, and wherein the activation mechanism comprises a lever. 
     
     
         13 . The suturing device according to  claim 12 , wherein the activation mechanism comprises a second tooth section for engaging with the shuttle driving mechanism, wherein the second tooth section is configured as a second cogwheel section, and wherein the second tooth section is configured to engage with a first tooth section of the shuttle driving mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The suturing device according to  claim 12 , wherein the activation mechanism is configured to rotate about a second axis. 
     
     
         15 . The suturing device according to  claim 12 , wherein the suturing device comprises a second biasing element configured to urge the activation mechanism, and wherein the second biasing element is configured as a second spring. 
     
     
         16 . The suturing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the chamber is delimited by a set of wall sections, and wherein at least one of the wall sections comprises a stop element configured to engage against the respective shuttle of the respective suture holder assembly to prevent inadvertent ejection of the respective suture holder assembly out of the chamber. 
     
     
         17 . A surgical suturing tool assembly for closing an incision or two layers of a target soft tissue, the suturing tool assembly comprising the suturing device according to  claim 1 , and a set of suture holder assemblies, the respective suture holder assembly comprising a shuttle, a suture strand attached to the shuttle, and a holder with a first holder end and a second holder end and a soft tissue clearance between the first and second holder ends, wherein the respective suture strand comprises a first suture strand end attached to the shuttle, and a second suture strand end. 
     
     
         18 . The suturing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the shuttle is an elongated tubular element. 
     
     
         19 . The suturing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein in the engaging state, the respective shuttle is arranged at the first holder end and engaged with the shuttle driving mechanism, and in the transferring state, the respective shuttle is a arranged at the second holder end and engaged with the shuttle driving mechanism to allow the respective suture strand of the respective suture holder assembly to form a loop around the target tissue in the soft tissue window. 
     
     
         20 . The suturing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the respective suture holder assembly comprises a blade for cutting off the respective suture strand. 
     
     
         21 . The suturing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the respective suture holder assembly comprises a shuttle receiving channel at the second holder end and is configured to receive the respective shuttle, and wherein the shuttle receiving channel is further configured to receive at least a portion of the shuttle driving mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The suturing tool assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the respective suture holder assembly comprises a suture retention element for receiving the respective suture strand, and wherein the suture retention element is configured to allow the respective shuttle to pass through the suture retention element. 
     
     
         23 . A suture holder assembly comprising a shuttle, a suture strand attached to the shuttle, and a holder with a first holder end, a second holder end and a soft tissue clearance between the first and second holder ends, wherein the respective suture strand comprises a first suture strand end attached to the shuttle, and a second suture strand end, and wherein the shuttle is configured to travel between the first and second holder ends when suturing a target tissue. 
     
     
         24 . The suture holder assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein the suture holder assembly further comprises a blade for cutting off the suture strand. 
     
     
         25 . The suture holder assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein the suture holder assembly further comprises a shuttle receiving channel at the second holder end and is configured to receive the shuttle. 
     
     
         26 . The suture holder assembly according to  claim 23 , wherein the suture holder assembly further comprises a suture retention element for holding the second suture strand end, and wherein the suture retention element is configured to allow the shuttle to pass through the suture retention element.